THE SEED

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children,he decided to do something different. He called all the youngexecutives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO..I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives wereshocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each oneof you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plantthe seed, water it, and come back here one year from today withwhat you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will thenjudge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will bethe next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife thestory. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he plantedthe seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it hadgrown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives beganto talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't havea plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew hehad killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, buthe had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted theseed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the companybrought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sickto his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing momentof his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty potto the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the varietyof plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor andmany of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his youngexecutives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees,and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you willbe appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room withhis empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him tothe front.. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm afailure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happenedto his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your nextChief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even growhis seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in thisroom a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it,and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds;they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants andflowers... When you found that the seed would not grow, yousubstituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was theonly one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot withmy seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the newChief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
* If you plant faith, you will reap a harvest
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

"Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back"